In recent years, audio cassettes have become increasingly popular and are approaching outselling usual L.P. record disc sale and are considerably more popular than the 8-track audio tapes. The introduction of these cassettes into the audio market presented a problem to the retail sellers in that the cassettes, which are considerably smaller than the 8-track tapes and records discs, had to be displayed so that prospective purchasers could inspect the same to determine the artist, songs, etc. on the cassettes. This presents a security problem due to the extremely small size of the cassettes in contrast to the heretofore record discs and 8-track tapes.
Existing record discs are placed on their edges and displayed in racks since theft of the discs is extremely difficult due to their large size, generally 12".times.12". One popular means of storing and displaying 8-track tapes is to place the same in a storage cabinet having a plastic or glass front that is provided with a circular opening through which a prospective purchaser can insert his or her hand and remove an 8-track tape from a horizontal storage shelf and inspect the same through the glass as to the recording artist and particular songs on the tape. The size of the opening in the transparent panel is too small to permit the 8-track tape from being removed through the opening, and it requires an attendant to unlock and open the storage cabinet for final sales.
The small size of the cassette makes such methods of display difficult from a security standpoint since the circular opening in the display rack has to be sufficiently large to enable a prospective buyer to place a hand through the opening for manipulation of the cassette. This opening would be large enough for the cassette to be removed through the opening. Also open rack display of cassettes in a similar manner as record discs would be extremely vulnerable to theft problems. Therefore, various packaging arrangements have been devised which enable the audio cassettes to be displayed for sale yet displayed vertically in usual record disc display racks and horizontally in usual 8-track tape cases.
One type of cassette storage and display package is an elongated, rectangular-shaped cardboard box having a height of 12 inches which enables the package to be placed in a usual record disc rack. An opening formed in an upper portion of the box enables the printed material on the cassette to be read by a prospective purchaser. This entire box and cassette is wrapped in a clear plastic heat-shrink paper. This enables the cassettes to be stored in a record disc cabinet and permits a prospective purchaser to read the contents of the tape through the clear window formed by the box opening. Another cassette package is formed of a cardboard box and has the size of an 8-track tape. The audio cassette is contained in an upper section of the box with the printed material being visible through a window formed in the box. Again, the entire package is wrapped in a heat-shrink plastic paper. This enables the cassettes to be placed in an 8-track tape storage cabinet having the circular access opening, yet due to the size of the cassette box simulating that of the 8-track tape, the same cannot be removed from the cabinet by an individual without assistance from the sales clerk.
There are various cassette packages formed of molded plastic which enable the cassette to be stored either in a record disc display rack or in an 8-track tape storage and display cabinet. One such type of molded plastic package has a bar like member which is removably mounted on a main housing by a dovetail connection. A metal key is insertable into the housing and bar for removing the bar from the housing to permit the cassette to be placed in the housing for display and subsequently removed when sold. These types of units are relatively expensive and the bar and metal key can easily become separate from the package and lost.
Still another type of plastic molded cassette package used today has a hinged lower portion which when moved to a closed position will trap and hold either a single 8-track tape or a pair of cassettes in the closed package. This storage package is not reusable because the retaining walls or cross members of the package must be cut to remove the cassette since the unit, when in closed position, has interlocking tabs and bars which prevent easy opening of the package without partially destroying the package.
Although these known packages do perform their intended functions, they have several disadvantages. The cardboard packages must be wrapped in a heat-shrink paper after the cassette has been placed in the box which requires the record distributor or retailer to purchase a heat-shrink wrapping machine and manually wrap and package each cassette. The reusable, plastic molded type of packages having the key-actuated removable bar are relatively expensive due to the intricate molding operations required to form the dovetail engagement of the locking bar with the remaining housing. Also, the type of package having the pivotally mounted closure portion for entrapping the cassette can only be used once due to the necessity to cut the retaining member to remove the cassette from the unit. Likewise, such packages have several component parts which increase the molding cost of the package.
Another recent development in the audio industry is the compact disc digital audio system. In this system, the sound is reproduced on a small convenient sound-carrier unit. The disc is approximately 41/2 inches in diameter and produces a unique combination of digital playback with laser optics. These compact discs, as they are referred to in the audio industry, are starting to find acceptance in the United States and in certain foreigh countries. Therefore, the need is arising for a package for storing and displaying these discs.
These discs, due to their relatively small size, have the same theft problems and display problems discussed above with respect to the usual audio cassette. These compact discs are currently packaged in a plastic box and have a circular recessed holder in one-half of the box with a top half that is pivotally mounted on the bottom half and serving as a closure for the box. Although these existing packages are satisfactory, they are relatively expensive and do not eliminate the theft and storage problems.
Therefore, the need has existed for an improved cassette package which can be used either in the usual 8-track tape storage racks or in the record disc storage racks, and which can be produced inexpensively yet is sufficiently strong and durable so as to be reusable. It is also desirable that such a cassette package be adaptable for use as a storage package for compact audio discs. There is no known audio cassette package of which I am aware which provides these features and advantages.